String plate for pianos



Feb. 26, 1929.

E. W. POWERS STRING PLATE FOR PIANOS March 10, 1925 Fig.1.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I wwwio 2.- Edward? (P0300 7'6;

Feb. 26, 1929.

E. W. POWERS STRING PLATE FOR PIANOS Filed March 10, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 19272022202 Edwazwi WPoa/ers,

Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDWARD W. POWERS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STRING PLATE FOR PIANOS.

Application filed March 10, 1925.

This invention aims to improve string plates for musical stringed instruments by the reduction of plate vibration.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown, merely for illustrative purposes, one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 1. a plan view of the frame and string carrying parts of a grand piano e1nbodying the invention, a few only of the strings being shown;

Fig. 2 is a section through the treble end of the scale substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. is a section similar to Fig. 2 but soinexiihat lower down on the scale substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4- is a section taken substantially along the line l--l of Fig. 1.

The invention, in its broad spects, is adaptable to various forms of stringed instruments but, for convenience, I have chosen to show the invention applied to a grand piano ha ing a casing 1 wherein are mounted the v ious piano elements including a string plate a piano action represented in part at 3, Fig. E2, and a sounding board 4.

The s ng plate 2 is of substantially rigid ('OEHUL. n embodying a head 5 for carrytuning pins 6, a bearing bar 7 and a lower plate member 8. Struts 9 extend longitudinally of the plate from the head 5 to said lower plate member 8 and generally parallel with piano strings stretched adjacent to saidv plate from said tuning pins 6 to the lower plate member 8.

in the enamole shown, the strings are romposed of a series of treble strings 11 arranged in one plane and a series of bass strings 12 extending across said treble strings and in a different plane. Only the end strings of the various groups forming said series of strings, are shown herein in order to more clearlyillustrate the details of the structure tlwrchenea'th.

A practice long followed by piano builders is to secure both the heads and tails of the strings directly to the rigid metallic frame or plate. This method, however, results in the transmission of vibrations of the strings, as the instrument is played, directly to said plate and the consequent creation of metallic vibration in said plate which latter produces harsh and metallic noises that tend materially to destroy or, at least, drown out the purer musical tones of the instrument. To eliminate or, at least, to substantially nullify Serial No. 14,376.

such discordances, the tail ends of the strings are herein resilientl mounted with respect to said plate so as to form a flexible or resilient hitch line, and by flexible hitch line meant a hitch line in which there is a certain amount of lateral relative movement between the hitching points of adjacent strings.

Obviously the means employed to resiliently support said tails may take numerous forms but without in any wise limiting the invention, I employ herein an elongated flexible plate 13 which possesses: a higher degree of flexibility than that of the string plate and extends sul. stantially the length of the hitch line, for example, of the treble strings. To this plate, which for convenionce, is termed a hitch plate, the strings are attached, preferably to or adjacent the edge thereof nearest said strings. To prevent the collapsing of the plate 13 under the severe load to which it is subjected, due to the tension of the strings, a series of supporting members are provided which preferably are themselves resilient and herein arranged in two series 14 and 15 shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

The vibratory ends of said supporting members are desirably each secured to or, at least, near the far edge or, in other words, to that edge that is farthestrcmoved from the strings and herein marked 16 (see Figs. 1,

*2 and Herein said ends are secured by rivets 17 which extend through said hitch plate and through reinforcing plates 18 arranged against the opposite side of the hitch plate from said supporting member.

The string plate is desirably cut away or apertured at 19 substantially corresponding v i with said hitch plate, to permit access to the latter which herein lies slightly below the web of said string plate and likewise the strings. To more uniformly distribute the supporting strain of the hitch plate upon the string plate or frame to which said supporting members 14 and 15 are herein rigidly fixed, some of said members, herein the members 14, are secured to said string plate at the side of the aperture 19 adjacent; to the strings 11; In this connection it will be observed that the supporting members are se cured to the same face of the hitch plate 13 as are the strings 11. Also these supporting members are secured herein by screws 20 to the under edges of the struts 9 in aarallel relation with said strings and wit their fixed ends lying between the free edges of said hitch plate and the head ends of the strings. By reason of this arrangement, said supporting members will lie in gaps formed in the series of strings to clear the said struts and thereby avoid any interference with the vibrations of saidstrings while the deflections of said supporting members will always be favorable to those of the string tails.

The series of supporting members 15 herein alternate with the members 14 and receive their support from the opposite side of the aperture 19 from that to which the members 14 are secured. It is however, esirable that the fixed ends of said members 15 be arranged between the vibrating edge ofthe hitch plate and the head ends of the strings so that the free or vibrating ends of said members 15 will vibrate in a direction favorable to the vibrations of the string tail rather than contrary thereto. To make the above arrangement of the members 15 possible, arms 21 are extended froin the margin of the string plate adjacent to the edge 16 of the hitch plate, part way across the aperture and to these arms, the members 15 are secured, herein by screws 22.

The arms :21 are preferably each reinforced by struts or ribs 23 arranged substantially parallel with the strings and bridging the aperture 19. By reason of the above arrangement of the two sets of supporting members and the close proximity of the hitch plate 13 to the supports for said members, the stress of the strings upon the latter will belsubstantially in a direction longitudinally of said strings with the possible exception of a slight downward stress due principally to the tension of the strings tending to deflectsaid supporting members.

The sounding board Al is, in the present example, arranged adjacent to the hitch plate 13 and is dished slightly toward the latter, although of such a slight degree as not to show in the drawings.

Bridge means are herein provided for transmitting vibrations of the strings to said sounding board ,for amplification, said means herein including a bridge 24 preferably of hard wood secured to said sounding board and herein also secured by screws 25 to .the inner or herein called near margin of said hitch plate and, because of the tension of said sounding board upward and the tendency of thestrings 11 to deflect the supporting members 14 and 15 downwardly, the bridge 2-lwill at all times be under stress so that all vibrations of said strings will be transmitted to the board. It is however to be understood that the invention is not limited to the arrangement of the bridgemeans herein shown,

In the present embodiment of the invention, the bass strings 12 are arranged to cross over the treble strings and so necessitate their being raised to a different plane and although the invention is not necessarily limited to such an arrangement, it is a desirable one because it reduces, for one thing, the size of the piano and also tends to stabilize the tension upon the sounding board. This arrangement of the bass strings prevents their being hitched to the same hitch plate with the treble strings. Therefore a second relatively flexible hitch plate 26 is provided beyond the plate 13 and lying substantially in register with an aperture 27 formed in the string plate or frame.

The hitch plate 26 preferably extends the length of the hitch line of said series of bass strings and constitutes therefore a flexible hitch line but, because of the greater mass of wire in the bass series of strings and the consequently greater lateral forces acting when the strings vibrate to deflect said plate, it has been found desirable to make the latter thicker and to provide marginal reinforcing ribs 28 and 29 therefor. The hitch plate 26 may likewise be supported by resilient supporting members 30, herein two, which are secured at their free ends, preferably by rivets or screws 31, to said plate 26 and are rigidly secured, herein by screws 32, to adjacent struts 9, with which said supporting members are substantially parallel, and at points preferably between the plate 26 and the head ends of the strings, whereby the lateral or vibratory movements of the hitch plate 26 will favor the string vibrations rather than tend to retard them.

Bridge means are provided for transmitting vibrations of said strings to the sounding board 4, said means herein including a strip of hard wood secured to said board and engaging directly with the strings 12 which are restrained thereagainst by the usual bridge pins 84. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to this type or arrangement of bridge. The tails of the strings 12 are herein attached to the plate 26 by being looped around hitch blocks 35 secured preferably by being riveted to said plate.

Although I have disclosed and discussed in detail one full and complete embodiment of my invention, it is .to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto.

Claims:

1. in a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of strings, an auxiliary relative y flexible member extending across a selected number of strings of said series and having one end of each of said strii s secured thereto, and. resilient supporti means for said flexible member connec'tezil with said string plate beyond the range of said strings and having resilient portions back of the point Where said resilient supporting means connect With said flexible member whereby lateral Ireedom of movement of said strings is permitted and longitudinal stability oi. said auxiliary flexible member is maintained.

2. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series 0t strings, an elongated. relatively flexible auxiliary plate to which. one end of each of said strings is secured said auxiliary plate constituting a flexible hitch line, and resilient supporting means tor said auxiliary plate arranged substan tially parallel with said strings and connected with said string plate at points back of the edge oi said auxiliary plate to yield laterally and provide tredom of movement of said auxiliary plate laterally of said strings and stability of said auxiliary plate longitudinally of said st lugs.

25. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series 01'? strings each secured at one end directly to said string plate, an auxiliary flexible hitch plate for the other ends of some at least of said strings and resilient supporting members for resiliently supporting said hitch plate relativ to said string plate, said supporting members being secured to said string plate at points between the outer edge 0t said hitch plate and the opposite end of the strings hitched to said string plate.

l. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of strings stretched adjacent to said string plate and each secured at one end. to said plate, an auxiliary hitch plate for the other ends of said strings having a degree of flexibility greater than that ol said string plate, a plurality ot spaced resilient supporting members for id hitch plate arranged substantially parallel with said strings and fixed at points between the ends of the strings that are secured to said string plate and the outer edge of said flexible hitch plate, a sounding board, and bridge means for transmitting vibrations ot? said strings to said sounding board.

5. Ina musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of strings each secured at one end to said plate, a flexible hitch plate for the other ends of said strings, said hitch plate having a higher degree of flexibility than said string plate, a plurality of spaced resilient supporting members extending substantially parallel With the strings and fixed successively to said string plate on opposite sides of said hitch plate, a sounding board, and'means to transmit vibrations from said strings to said sounding board.

6. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of strings each adjustably connected at one end to said plate, a flexible hitch plate for supporting the other ends of said strings, a plurality of spaced resilient supporting members for said hitch. plate secured to said string plate on opposite sides of said hitch plate for providing stability to said hitch plate longitudinally of the strings and sound amplifying means operatively connected with said strings.

7.1n a musical strin d instrument, a string plate, a series oi st. gs each attached at their head ends to said st 1' g 1 portion ot said. string plate in the re the tail ends of said strings being apertured, a flexible hitch plate having a higher degree of flexibility than said string plate and located in the apertured portion of said string )late and constituti ig a flexible hitch line for said strings, .iient supporting members interposed between said hitch, plate and said string plate and securedto the latter, some at one side and some at the other side or said hitch plate to provide stability to said flexible hitch late longitudinally of the strings and a sounding board operatively associated vith said strings to amplity the vibrations thereof.

8. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of bass stings stretched adjacent to said plate, each secured at one end thereto, that portion oi said string plate in the region of the other ends of said strings being apertured, a flexible hitch pia located adjacent said aperture and co i'iu ing a flexible hitch line for said lugs resilient supporting members plate extending substzu :ially i said strings and secured to said st 1 k, plat so to provide stability thereto lougitudinally of said strings, a sounding beard a: 4 bridge means for transmitting vilu'a'tious from said strings to said sounding board.

9. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series ot bass strings stretchzul adjacent to said plate, each secured at one end tl'iereto, that portion ot said string plate in the region of the other ends of said strings being apertured, a flexible hitch ph e located adjacent said aperture and constituta flexible hitch line for said strings, resilient supporting members for said hitch plate lying substantially parallel with said strings and secured to said string plate to provide longitudinal stability and arranged to yield laterally to provide freedom of vibration of said hitch plate in that direction, a sounding board and bridge means for transmitting vibrations from said strings to said sounding board.

10. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of treble strings on said string plate each secured at one end to said string plate, a. flexible hitch plate extending along the hitch line of the other ends of said series of strings and constituting a flexible hitch. line for said strings, resilient supporting members for said hitch plate lying substantially parallel with said strings and secured to said string plate at points within the outer edge of said hitch plate, a series of bass strings also stretched adjacent to said string plate but in a different plane than that of said treble strings one end of each of said bass strings being also secured to .said string plate, a flexible hitch plate for the other ends of said bass strings, resilient supporting members therefor having fixed ends within the outer edge of said flexible hitch plate, a sounding board, and bridge means for transmitting vibrations from said treble and bass strings to said sounding board.

11. In a musical stringed instrument, a series of strings, relatively rigid hitching means for the head ends of said strings, flexible hitching means for the tail ends of said strings including at least one flexible plate extending longitudinally of the hitch line or said strings, spaced resilient supporting members for said flexible hitch plate, said supporting members having rigidly fixed ends located within the outer edge of said flexible hitch plate and sound amplifying means operatively associated with said strings. I

12. In a musical stringed instrument, a series of strings, rigid hitching means for the head ends of said strings, flexible supporting means for the tail ends of said strings including at least one flexible plate extending longitudinally of the hitch lines oi" said strings, spaced resilient supporting members for said flexible hitch plate having fixed points located between the outer side 01 said hitch plate and the head ends of said strings, a sounding board and bridge means for transmitting vibrations of said strings to said sounding board.

13. In a musical stringed instrument, a series of strings, flexible hitching means for the tails of said strings including an elongated hitch plate extending longitudinally of the hitch line of said strings and to which said strings are secured along the near edge thereof, and spaced resilient supporting members connected to the far edge of said hitch plate, and relatively rigidly supported at points between said far edge and the head ends of said strings whereby longitudinal stability and lateral deflection of said elongated hitch plate isprovided.

14. In .a musical stringed instrument, a series of strings, yielding hitching means for the tails of said strings including an. elongated hitch plate extending longitudinally of the hitch line of said strings and to which said strings are secured along the near edge thereof, spaced resilient supporting members arranged substantially parallel with said strings and secured to said hitch plate adjacent to the edge farthest from said strings, and a relatively rigid frame to which said supporting members are secured at points within said farthest edge of said hitch plate whereby longitudinal stability and lateral freedom of said hitch plate is provided.

15. In a musical stringed instrument, a series of strings, flexible hitching means for the tails of said strings including an elongated hitch plate extending longitudinally of the hitch line of said strings and to which said strings are secured along the near edge thereof, spaced resilient supporting members arranged substantially parallel with said strings and secured to the said hitch plate adjacent to the edge farthest from said strings, and a relatively rigid frame having an apertured portion corresponding to said hitch plate, said resilient supporting members being successively secured respectively to opposite side portions of said aperture but at points between the connecting points of said supporting members with said hitch plate and the head ends of said strings.

16. In a musical stringed instrument, a string plate, a series of strings each adjustably secured at one end to said string plate, an, auxiliary flexible hitch plate for the other ends of said strings and resilient supporting members for resiliently supporting said hitch plate upon said string plate, said supporting members being secured to said string plateat points between the outer edge of said hitch plate, and the adjustable ends of said strings.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWVARD WV. POWERS. 

